


Unpretty

by JacksWild



Category: Ereri - Fandom, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, snk - Fandom
Genre: College, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, professor and student, teacher student
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 18:41:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5175329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JacksWild/pseuds/JacksWild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a cynical 30 something Professor meets a broken but not defeated 20 something student; possibilities can be endless but opportunities only present themselves so many times. How many chances do people really get?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [luna_trancy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/luna_trancy/gifts).



> I love luna_trancy. As she is my bestie in all the land, I decided that for her birthday I would write one of her favorite OTP's a little story. Well the little story may not be so little anymore, and it may require updates; which is insanity. However, as I love her bunches, and promised this to her, I now introduce you to Unpretty...

UNPRETTY

 

“There are always those people in the world that will tear you down. They work on the destruction of your hopes, your dreams, your desires, your joys, your personhood. You can stand there head bowed and shamed for your own personal beauty; allowing them to break you. Or you can walk away; head held up because you have to know your beauty. You are not unpretty. You are not unpretty. You are not unpretty.” The note read that was left on the table. 

Let’s begin where all stories tend to start. The beginning. Although I’ve given you a bit of the end, so let’s see about getting this in order. It started in Fall of Senior year of Uni; ah… about 6 years ago now?

 

***

“Shit.” Eren threw his books in his bag. The buttery leather of the satchel holding barely within the constraints of finely woven sews; with the weight of six comically large textbooks and the accompanying paraphernalia. He ran out of his room, heading straight for the fridge and the snack cupboard. 

“Eren! What are you still doing here?” Armin, the short menace to his ears, screeched. 

“I know! I know. Where are the granola bars? I just bought a whole new box this weekend!” He threw three empty snack bar boxes on the kitchen floor in a flurry of speed and anxiety. “THERE!” He grabbed the whole box and took a Gatorade out of the fridge. 

“I have classes until 3 today, and I have the tutoring sesh at 4. I wont be home ‘til late.” He yelled to his short blond roommate. “Don’t wait up.”

He glanced at his phone when he threw his buds in his ears. “Ten minutes… I can do this.” He swung a dark jean clad leg over the seat of his vintage motorcycle and revved it to life. He couldn’t be late for his first class of his last year. 

***

“If there is anything that I loath more than incompetence; let it be known now, it is tardiness. I will mark you down a full letter grade for every tardy. Note I did not say absence. I could care less if you show up after your lateness; your simply being late will have already ruined your chances for me to read your mindless writing as anything close to an accomplishment. Now to the syllab—“

Levi clamped his jaw shut tight. His first tardy of the year, and it happened just after his speech? This was a gift, really. The gods had blessed him early this year. He looked to see the pupil that was going to garner his truly passionate approach to destruction of life. 

Good god… the hell is this fucker? Jesus Christ. He must be 6 foot 3 and a fucking icon of beauty. Sonofabitch. 

“Fuck head!” He shouted and was rather pleased when the graceful gait of the late and impressionable, missed the first step down the row of theater seating and fell a good eight steps. 

“The fuck are you doing?” He asked. 

“Sir. Sorry sir, couldn’t find the room.” The nuisance had the audacity to utter.

“Ask your classmates about my tardy policy. As to the rest understand this as your first example. This fucking moron will get no higher than an 89 for the semester. I am not to be trifled with on this matter. Now sit the fuck down you little shit.”

Levi tamped down his internal growl. Why is it always the good looking ones? 

“Now, the syllabus. We will have one quiz each week and four tests this semester. We will have two assignments each week. Every grade is equal to all the rest; however, there will be no making up for lost assignments or missing grades. I give ample opportunity to succeed in this class, it is up to you how you choose to utilize the money being spent on this class.” Levi, slapped the ten-page booklet on this desk and took a deep breath. Now to educate these morons. “Functioning conjugation of art and science…”

 

“I can’t believe that this will be the class that ruins my 4.0!” Eren slammed his bag on the table in the courtyard and muttered as he took his books out for his scheduled hour study break between his morning and afternoon classes. “Who does he think he is? Jesus. It was the first day.” 

Eren scanned the description of the first assignment. ‘Depict any form of art and then write a short story about it. The only prompt is science.’ Eren took out his sketch book and his Anatomy of the Body 1503 book. He pulled up the figures saved to his computer of Michelangelo’s Vitruvian man and set to task.

***  
Levi was rather pleased with the pieces that had been turned in that week. The first part of the assignment was the art piece and the second was the short-story. He was shocked to find such resplendent differences in style. Many classes at this point in the program had generally learned a style of art and stayed with it. However, a large portion of the class looked to have been practicing with new textures and touches. 

…Iconic/Ironic Beauty, Science…

He looked at the piece and was shocked. It was an almost utterly perfect hand drawn, ink (quill he’d be willing to bet), rendering of that Yeager boy, as the Vitruvian man. The boy had taken the most iconic piece of anatomic art, and changed the total purpose of it. The original Vitruvian man was to point out the utter possibility of the most perfect man. Yeager had done his rendition with cuts to parts of the body, evident telling’s of a body being ‘’fixed’’ instead of grasping the utter rawness of natural beauty. This boy was turning the story of the world’s view of beauty on it’s head. 

Levi was unnerved to say the least that the boy had used his own body to be the muse instead of creating another for the placement of the “Body Unrefined and Undignified”. He pulled the story out and leaned back in his chair. 

You can look at the styles of men and women over the centuries. There was a time when body was seen as substance, the posture, the humanity, the grace was found in the mere existence of the body being able to live and breath and move. Today, that isn’t the case. 

“Your nose is too straight, Yeager.”

“Your hair would do better with more body.”

“Your thighs are too rigid.”

“Your back is under-defined.”

“Your feet are too long.”

“Your cock hasn’t the personality it should.”

“Your eyes are outlandish.”

“Your fingers will have arthritis; they are simply too long.”

We don’t recognize beauty in the simple art of being alive any more. When Michelangelo drew the Vitruvian man, it wasn’t with a particular man in mind. He drew the perfect man. However, when you look at the Vitruvian man, you can see the marks that Michelangelo purposely placed all over the body. The marks of life. Scars, pulls, tears, muscles, hair. Those things that define one body from the next. Where did science stop identifying beauty in human form?

“Who are you?” He uttered, and placed the pages down. He disgruntledly marked an 89 at the top of both sheets. 

***


	2. Opportunity Number 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First impressions can happen multiple times. Opportunity number 1 for our pair, is about to take place.

CHAPTER 2

“Mikasa, stop!” Eren pulled his head away from his sister and leaned forward to take a slice of pizza. “I am allowed to have a break. I am taking the night off of studying. You can’t pester me about this.” He was so frustrated. It had been almost 2 months since the start of term, and other than his dismal tardiness for his first class, his GPA had stayed at a 4.0 and he had been up to date on all of his assignments. When his students had decided to take the night off from his tutoring session, he had decided that he could use a break too. Only, his sister was nagging at him to not be lazy. 

“Eren…” 

“No, Mikasa.” I’m going to take the night off. I am going to go out. And I am going to enjoy myself. Just stop!” He threw the three-day old, cold pizza on the living room table and stood up. “Jesus, it isn’t like I party all the time.” He stormed out of the room to the tisking of his older but infinitely more childish sister.

He threw open his closet door and surveyed the contents. Within moments he had chosen the tight tan leather pants and the Dave Matthews Band tee that he had gotten at a gig a couple years back. He pulled out a white vest and a pair of toffee colored dressed shoes.

“I’ll be out tonight. Don’t wait up.” He said an hour later, walking past Mikasa and Armin who were watching the History channel on Modern Warfare. 

“Eren,” 

“Good Night, Mikasa.”

He toyed around with just where he wanted to head out too. He wasn’t feeling the dive that he generally hit up, and he wasn’t overly interested in the Queens of the Bone Age night club either. He flicked on his bike and put his buds in, he felt refined tonight; M12 it was then.

He always like the classy tones to M12, the bar was situated in downtown about a block up from the hotels and beach. It catered to sophisticated gay clientele. It was three stories, the bottom being the bar and louder music, the second being the lounge and restaurant, and the third being an open air night club with jazz playing most nights. He waited patiently in line, and when he got to the front, smiled inwardly at not having to show his fake ID anymore. Being 22 had its advantages. The bouncer slapped him on the shoulder and talked with him for a moment. Eren racked his brain for a name, “Bertholdt! Nice to see ya! Come have a drink after your shift, ya?” He filed that away as a win for his young brain, and sauntered into the dark blue hue of the entrance walkway. 

“Hey, Connie!” He greeted the bartender with a handshake and fist bump. “How are you dude?” 

“I’m good, man. Life is pretty fucking good right now, ya know? The regular?” Eren watched at Connie made him his favorite drink without really waiting for an answer. The pomegranate and orange peel with rum was his ultimate relax drink. It went down easy and he could sip it without getting shitfaced too soon in the evening. “This one’s on the house, come back here for the next, ya?” 

“Sure thing, man. Thanks.”

He turned drink in hand, and surveyed the room. He wasn’t feeling the bass on the bar tonight. He wasn’t all the hungry either, so the lounge wasn’t it, but the open air dance floor, that sounded like his style tonight. He nodded to Connie and headed towards the stairs that were situated in the center of the large room.

***  
“Levi, you’ve got to enjoy yourself.” Hanji leaned forward and whispered in his ear. She was damned if he was going to spend another night thinking about his ex’s and their issues. 

“She’s got a point, Levi. We’ve already discussed business. We’ve eaten, and we are ready to have a bit of fun. Don’t make us pull you out of the booth.” Erwin muttered the last part, not wishing to start an argument, but willing to try anything at this point to get the pissed funk off his long time friend. 

“I’m fine. You two go ahead and—“ Levi stopped speaking as his eyes caught the figure walking up the stairs to the third floor. “Jesus.” He muttered.

“What?!” Hanji immediately swung her head around nearly toppling over her Margarita.

“Nothing, it’s nothing.” 

“No, that is the, ‘you just saw some hot ass stare.’” 

“Well… you know what, I’m going to head upstairs for a bit. I will meet up with you two later.”

“Finally!” Hanji kissed him on the cheek and then pushed him out of the booth. “Go get em tiger.”

“I’m not going hunting, ‘Ji.” He said, but smiled none-the-less. Tonight was looking remarkably better, already. 

Who wears tight tan leather pants? Jesus Fuck what a pretentious shit. But good God his ass… Levi let his thoughts drift as he strolled after his student. He was fully aware that it wouldn’t be appropriate to flirt with, or engage in drinks with, or take his student to his home and fuck him until they were both raw… “Jesus, fuck being appropriate.” He muttered to himself. 

He knew the he cut a figure in his slim black slacks, his tailors charcoal gray button up and his silver tie and black vest. He wasn’t a fool to think that he couldn’t turn his students’ eye. It was merely a hope that he wouldn’t have to deal with a belligerent, drunk, fuckface. 

He strolled up the last of the steps and rounded the corner to see the ‘stage’, he recognized the band that was playing. Michael Woolney was a fantastic piano and jazz instrumentalist that was good for simple nights. As far as Levi was concerned, he was set for game.   
***

Eren couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being inspected, that there was someone watching him. He wasn’t put off by it, but he would like to know who was watching so that he might assess the situation appropriately. He walked up to the stage, which was really just a 12 by 12 set of lacquered wood planking with four metal beams on each corner and fairy lights hanging from the top wires. He was pleasantly surprised to hear the soothing sounds of one of his favorite smooth jam artists. 

He found himself swaying to the gentle notes of piano and trumpet, sipping his drink and hoping that his admirer had some courage. 

“Didn’t expect to see you here.” 

And there he was.

“Well hell, I wasn’t expecting my professor to be the person whose eyes I could feel tracing my every step.” He smiled and sipped his drink, keeping his eyes on the stage. “Did you like the view?” He asked, as nonchalantly as physically possible. He could smell the cologne coming off his professor, and he knew that he was in trouble. He hadn’t been just angry about his grade being no higher than an 89 in his class, he was mortified that it had to be the single most fuckable teacher he had had in his career as a student, that had to give it to him. 

“You could say that.” Eren smirked at the tone of voice. He was ready for a game… and if truth be told, he was ready for a good solid fucking. 

“Do you want another drink?” Eren looked down at his glass, there was barely a sip left. 

“Not now, but I could do with a dance.” He walked over to the bar and placed his drink on the counter, sauntering over to his soon to be partner on the dance floor. “Would you mind?” 

“Not at all.” 

 

Eren was remarkably calm for a man who just spent the last four hours dancing, talking, and drinking with his incredibly attractive professor. He checked himself, Levi. He had been not so subtly informed that if they were going to be meeting out of class, then Levi was the correct term. He hadn’t had nearly as much to drink as he had originally anticipated, and as such was swimming on a soft buzz of anticipation and arousal. 

“I really should be heading out.” He said, he hoped that he would get swayed to heading out to Levi’s apartment instead.

“Really, how responsible of you.” The smirk on his partners’ face could have melted stronger men; Eren didn’t count himself as overly strong in any regard. 

“Well, I have to set a standard. Can’t be out all night drinking all night, when there could be other enjoyable ways to spend the rest of the evening or the early parts of the morning.”

“Mmm…” 

Well that was defeating. Eren kept his smile soft on his face, and didn’t let the trace stutter of his anticipation deflating show in his eyes. “It was nice talking with you this evening.” He said, taking a last sip of his drink and standing up. “I look forward to your class on Monday.” He nodded and kept his smile as he turned and made for the stairs. He wouldn’t lie and say that he wasn’t a little disappointed; he sure as hell had hoped that there would have been something else; but he couldn’t fault the man. He knew that he wasn’t as sophisticated or refined as the other gentlemen in the bar, and he knew that his age, station, and looks could be firm detractors. 

He pushed out the front of the building and sent a dazzling smile to Bert. “Have a good one, yeah?” He said, and shook the man’s hand. He wasn’t going to allow himself to be disappointed for long. Ultimately he had gotten what he had originally come out for. A good night, away from major responsibilities’. He swung a leg over his bike and put his buds in, the soft tones of piano and trumpets filling his head as he headed home. 

***

Levi watched his student go. He had fought hard all night on what the proper way to ask his younger partner to come home with him. But the war had been hard, as he held firm to the dignity of not sleeping with students. He hadn’t expected the night to end so abruptly, but he was smart enough to know that it hadn’t ended badly. There was possibility. He smiled, he would text the kid tomorrow and see if he wanted to maybe get brunch. “Shit.” Levi left the chair, and dashed to the stairs. 

“What moron doesn’t give a phone number to a potential prospect? For fucksake, I’m not new to this.” He let his thoughts follow the night and realized that maybe what to him had seemed like an abrupt but good end to an evening, now looked like an abrupt end to a failed chance to someone else. 

He exploded out the front door of the building and watched as Eren put his headphones in and started up his bike. He was more shocked at the utter sex appeal of seeing those skin tight leather pants hug heavenly to the ass of a man riding a dark older cruiser. 

“Missed your chance there, ya did.” He heard the man to his left say. 

“Excuse me?” He turned and looked at the significantly taller bouncer.

“I’ve known Eren there for almost 4 years now. When he walks out of the bar with that certain look there he had, well it doesn’t bode well.” 

“What look?” 

“I don’t know. The sad smile.” 

“Shit.”

Levi walked back in to retrieve his coat. He texted Erwin and told him he was heading home. He wasn’t in a mood to be told how much he fucked this one up.


End file.
